Undercurrents

Neji kept the car under the speed limit as he made the familiar drive. He could only imagine the horror that would be getting pulled over in his current getup. His left hand kept playing along the edge of the skirt; kept adjusting the top of the stockings and fidgeting. Neji never had a hard time sitting still, but the hand seemed to have a mind of its own.

This was worse than the drive over to Shika’s to deliver the present.

Neji tried to calm down, but he was equal parts nervous and overwrought. The questions about what Shika would do at the sight of him were only slightly more distracting than his mind’s constant replay of the damned surveillance tapes.

Would Shika be irritated with him for showing up like this? Would he think it weak? Crack some comment that Neji couldn’t even manage to go a full day without appearing on Shika’s doorstep like some abandoned puppy?

That was ridiculous…Shikamaru would never…

Neji concentrated on breathing.

By the time he made it to the road that led up to Shika’s cabin, Neji felt unhinged. He needed a drink, a long night’s sleep, a good fuck, a shoulder to cry on, and Shika’s body to spoon under a warm quilt.

And despite knowing any and all the things that might help, Neji couldn’t get his heart to stop pounding in his chest; couldn’t get his brain to stop flashing through images like some crazed, digital slide show.

What…the fuck…was wrong?

Neji was never this out of control; he felt ridiculous and childish and guilty, and it only made everything worse because those were things he hated himself for feeling.

Neji didn’t have moments of sincere insecurity…he had moments of insincere modesty.

For several long moments, Neji just sat in the car in front of Shika’s cabin with the engine off and his mind whirling. Intellectually, he understood that last night’s emotional and physical drain coupled with today’s violent revelations and vengeance was a heady mix for anyone to handle. He got that.

But that didn’t mean he could just…have a mental breakdown and wake up Shikamaru in the middle of the night to share the distress.

“All evidence to the contrary,” Neji muttered as he stared at the dark cabin. Because here he was, after all.

Not able to bring himself to just drive away and unwilling to spend the night in the Rover, Neji finally got out of the car. He shut the door as quietly as he could and winced as his boots crunched over the ground as he walked from car to cabin. He was intensely aware of the skirt, the cincher, the leather and lace…he looked like a BDSM hooker. But he had nothing in his car to change into, and it was far too late to turn around now.

Neji made it to the top step of the porch when he saw a curtain flicker to his right, and his heart stuttered.

Would Shika recognize the Rover? Would he open the door, take one look at Neji and laugh? And would that be better or worse than if he opened the door and asked what the hell Neji thought he was doing here?

A light came on inside the cabin.

“Who’s there?” Shika said on the other side of the door. He sounded irritated and a little hostile.

“It’s...” Neji tried, but his voice croaked. He cleared his throat.

“Neji,” he managed and there was a pause. He heard something thud against the floor followed by the click of the lock. He couldn’t bring himself to look up, which made him angry and uncomfortable, so he looked down and counted the nails in the wooden floorboards while Shika opened the door. Neji heard Shikamaru suck in a breath, saw his bare feet on the door’s threshold, and he counted another three nails.

The moment seemed to stretch and reach forever, and Neji thought he might just go out of his mind. It began to rain in earnest and Neji shivered.

“Come inside,” Shikamaru said softly and turned to let Neji into the cabin.

Still not quite able to look up, Neji walked in, arms crossed over his chest and hair slightly damp from the misty rain turned downpour. His heart pounded hard enough to make him feel a little queasy as Shikamaru closed and locked the door before circling around in front of Neji.

Without a word, Shika kneeled down and lightly touched the top of one of Neji’s boots. He searched for a second before finding the zipper and began to work it down, the rasp of the teeth loud in the silence of the house.

Neji’s mouth fell open a little as he watched Shika undo one boot and then the other before holding the boots steady while Neji stepped out of the shoes one at a time. Shika carefully put the boots aside before he stood up and met Neji’s gaze.

“What happened?” Shika asked, voice very quiet.

Neji had no idea how to answer that question. He shook his head.

“Are you hurt?” Shika asked.

“No,” Neji replied softly. It wasn’t a question he imagined Shika asking, especially not with the tenderness Shika put into the words. He felt warmth begin to melt the glaciers of tension between his shoulder blades.

Shikamaru’s eyes narrowed. “Is someone else?” he asked.

“Not as much as he should be for what he’s done,” Neji replied before his brain could filter his words.

“Did you do it?”

“Not all of it. Not directly.”

Shika looked away and seemed to consider that. “Do you do this often?”

Neji couldn’t be sure how much Shika understood, but he answered truthfully.

“No.”

Nodding, Shikamaru stepped closer and touched Neji’s arm. “Come upstairs with me,” he whispered. “Let’s get you warm.”

Shika uncrossed Neji’s arms carefully, as though afraid the movement might spook Neji. Still looking down, Shikamaru took one of Neji’s hands before he turned and headed toward the stairs. Neji let himself be led, feeling a little numb. He was grateful…and confused. And a little aroused. His worst fears were far from realized, and Shikamaru felt like a soothing balm over frayed nerves. Neji’s mind reeled, and he was happy Shika was there to make sure he didn’t just fall over.

The second floor was lofted, and the ceiling had two slanted skylights shadowed by the limbs of trees. Shika’s large bed occupied most of the space, a matching chest of drawers and nightstand the only other two pieces of furniture. A door on the right led to a modest bathroom, and there was a long closet with one door propped open to reveal all matter of clutter.

The bedspread actually was a quilt, Neji observed, and it was pulled back on one side, the other side still made. A dim lamp glowed on the nightstand illuminating a stack of books and an iPod. Neji looked around longingly and felt terribly out of place.

Shikamaru stopped and released Neji’s hand as he turned. He looked at Neji for a long moment, eyes appraising. After a few seconds, he reached down and ripped his t-shirt off, throwing it into one corner. Now he wore only pajama pants with blue and black checks.

Neji frowned and looked away, but Shika stepped to him and dropped his hands to the laces on the cincher. It took him a second to figure out the ties, but then the knots came undone in his hands and Shika pulled the leather away from Neji’s skin. He dropped it to the ground and his fingers traced the red criss-crosses the laces left behind.

“Shika-“ Neji began.

“Shush,” Shikamaru said and Neji clamped his mouth closed, startled into obeying. Shika’s fingers played along the red marks before coming up to trace the contours of Neji’s chest, to run along the hem of the leather-and-lace shrug. Slowly his hands moved around the back of Neji’s neck to undo the collar, which he dropped to the ground. Neji kept his mouth tightly shut and breathed a little faster through his nose.

Shika’s eyes were on his own fingers as they swept and caressed both of Neji’s nipples lightly. Shikamaru bent down in seeming slow-motion and Neji’s mouth fell open when Shika’s lips and tongue covered the slightly-tender skin and worked first one side and then the other into hardness. Neji heard the sound of his own breathing and small noises of pleasure fill the room, hands remaining slack at his sides and his head rolling toward one shoulder. The simple attention chased away more doubt, and Neji’s shoulders relaxed.

Neji gasped when his skin was suddenly released and Shikamaru knelt again, his lips kissing over the fading lace marks on Neji’s skin. These kisses were chaste, but Neji felt himself getting hard under the skirt, the thong making the sensation both more intense and uncomfortable.

Shika reached up to run his hands over Neji’s stomach, touch feather light. His fingers worked their way around the waist of the skirt and found the closure. Neji watched while Shika carefully undid the hook and worked the tiny zipper down. He moved his hands to stretch the band wide and slowly shifted the skirt down over Neji’s hips, over his hardening cock in the black thong, and then down to the floor. Neji stepped out of the circle of leather and Shika tossed the skirt aside.

Sitting back on his heels, Shika swallowed and looked Neji over, eyes hungry.

“Can I leave the rest for now?” Shika whispered.

Feeling like his brain was full of fog, Neji just nodded.

Shikamaru stood up. “Can you lie down on the bed?” he asked. “Please?”

Moving without really thinking, Neji complied. He tossed the quilt back and climbed onto the soft bed before turning and lying down on his back, hair spilling across one pillow. Shika grabbed something off the chest of drawers and shoved it into the pocket of his pants. Neji watched him as Shika then moved to the foot of the bed and climbed on to kneel between Neji’s feet, which were still covered in the silk stockings. Gently Shika touched Neji’s ankle before picking up his right foot and cradling it in his lap. His hands squeezed and his thumbs simultaneously dug into the arch and the ball of Neji’s foot.

“O-oh,” Neji stutter-panted and his eyelids fluttered as Shika massaged his foot, fingers digging into sore spots like they’d memorized a map. Neji felt himself harden even more, the condition obvious in the thong.

“Feel good?” Shika asked, voice barely above a whisper.

“Yeah…” Neji answered. He felt strange just laying there and started to sit up.

“Just let me, sir,” Shika said. “I want to…help.”

Neji froze and blinked. Shika dug into a deliciously tender part of his foot and Neji decided to hell with it. Forget odd outfits, weird nights, insecurities…this felt good. He collapsed back against the pillow and drew one arm over his eyes.

Shikamaru worked Neji’s right foot for a while longer and then moved on to the left. By the time he set that foot back down on the bed, Neji was working very hard to control his breathing.

Neji felt warm hands knead up both his calves at the same time. He shuddered a little at the touch.

“You don’t get massages often,” Shika commented quietly.

“No…” Neji confirmed.

“And you don’t let your subs serve you like this?” Shika moved his hands behind Neji’s knees and did something with the tendons there that made Neji bite off a moan.

“It’s not…quite like this,” Neji replied, looking down at Shika from under his arm. And it wasn’t…Neji sometimes ordered his subs to rub or touch him in certain ways…sometimes they did it on their own. But he didn’t particularly like announcing his weaknesses, and even if he did let on how much he enjoyed it, those subs didn’t do it with the affection and grace that Shika did; they didn’t look like Shika with his hair pulled back loosely from his face, muscles moving and flexing as he worked Neji’s skin.

Neji swallowed and Shika’s hands moved to the tops of his thighs, still kneading. Neji’s cock ached and threatened to escape entirely from the leather pouch that barely managed to cover him.

“It’s different when I do it,” Shika said. It wasn’t a question or a boast; just a statement.

“Yes,” Neji said softly and his arm dropped away. His breath caught when Shika leaned down and kissed the top of Neji’s thigh. With quick but smooth movements, Shika shifted so that he was lying between Neji’s legs. The backs of his hands ran up the inside of Neji’s thighs and gently pushed out, spreading Neji wider.

“Shika – “ Neji began. He wasn’t sure what he was going to say…stop him, tell him he didn’t need to do this, order him away and positioned elsewhere. Neji didn’t know or get the chance to finish.

“Shut up, sir,” Shika said and managed to make it sound affectionate. “I want to hear what you sound like when you’re just being yourself and not running some scene.” His fingers slid under the sides of the thong as his mouth lightly kissed Neji’s cock through the leather.

“Will you let me, sir?” Shika asked, his breath ghosting along Neji’s skin and making him shiver. “I promise it’ll be good…”

Neji made some sort of noise that he would deny later, and Shika carefully pulled off the thong. He sat back up and forced Neji’s leg to bend to get the leather over and off one foot. Neji felt Shika’s hand grip behind his knee and run down along the outside of his leg as Shika settled back down and kissed Neji’s length again, this time lips meeting skin. Neji gasped and his abdominal muscles twitched as Shika licked up Neji’s cock in one long, slow glide before sucking the head against his lips and into his mouth.

“Oh…Shika…” Neji whispered and bit down on the knuckle of one forefinger, eyes closing.

Shika’s hand moved to stroke and circle Neji’s base as his mouth suckled and swallowed, the pace torturously slow, Shika’s mouth impossibly warm and wet. His tongue flicked and toyed with the slit, and Neji’s mouth fell open, panting. For long minutes Shika continued his slow, lazy, exploration with hands and tongue, and Neji thought he would go insane with the sensation. Shika’s tongue swirled, his hand glided and squeezed, his lips kissed and dragged and pulled.

Just when Neji thought he would honestly start to beg, Shika lifted up and off Neji’s cock so that he could move down and suckle at his balls. Neji stopped breathing and held extremely still as Shika pulled the soft, hairless skin into his mouth and lapped with his tongue. Shika kept up that particular bit of teasing torture as his hand slowly slid up Neji’s length. Without warning, he gripped Neji just under the head and ran his thumbnail up and over Neji’s cock in an exact mimicry of what Neji had done to Shika.

“Oh holy…shit,” Neji cursed, unable to move with Shika’s mouth wrapped around his balls. He gripped the sheets with both hands, knuckles going white as Shika stroked Neji quickly a few times and then did it again, nail digging a little deeper.

“God…Shika…god…please…” Neji’s head thrashed and Shika’s hand danced up and down Neji’s length as his mouth released his balls and moved back up to swallow Neji whole. Neji gasped and his back arched, one hand reaching down to rest on Shika’s head.

“Feels so…oh…god, oh god…” All thought left Neji along with any of the tension from earlier, and all he could do was feel. Sweat beaded on his skin, he bit his lip and tangled fingers in Shika’s soft hair.

Shikamaru didn’t give Neji much chance to recover. Keeping his mouth moving on Neji’s length, Shika repositioned himself and reached down for something. Neji tilted his head lazily to one side and frowned, not understanding exactly what Shika was doing.

Not that he could really care…Shika’s mouth sucked harder on his skin, lips tightening their seal. Neji closed his eyes and groaned as he bucked up into that warmth. Thoughts of how amazing it was to be in Shikamaru’s bed with his Shika between his legs tickled at the edges of Neji’s brain…but the pleasure quickly swept all thought away, leaving sweet sensation in its wake. Shika’s hands did something independent of Neji’s body before Shikamaru settled back down between Neji’s legs.

There was heat, warmth, and the slow tensing of muscles low in Neji’s abdomen…he breathed heavily through his mouth while his hands played in Shika’s hair. He felt Shikamaru shift him again, spreading Neji’s legs a little wider before Neji felt warm, slick fingers dipping down low, searching.

Neji’s eyes flew open as Shika circled Neji’s entrance with one finger, the movement cautious and the pressure gentle. Neji shuddered and rolled his body, his legs falling wider.

“Yeah,” Neji panted and licked his lips. “Shika…do it…”

Shikamaru moaned around the cock in his mouth as he carefully slid one finger into Neji. He vaguely registered that whatever was in Shika’s pocket was lube of some sort because the finger slid in with little resistance. For a second Neji held completely still and Shika’s mouth worked him over, finger not moving inside his body. Neji’s eyelids fluttered and his breath stuttered. He fingered himself sometimes when he was alone, but he couldn’t remember the last person who did this to him.

After a few seconds, Shika’s finger began to move with the same slow sensuous rhythm as his mouth. Neji’s hands fell away from Shika to grasp the sheets and his legs spread as wide as they could. Soon one digit was joined by another, this one sliding in even slower and making Neji shiver and groan. He commanded every muscle in his body to relax, and all he felt was need spiking through him. It made him hot, his skin flushing with lusty fever.

Shikamaru’s fingers slid deep and glanced over Neji’s prostate while his mouth worked faster over Neji’s cock.

Neji saw stars.

“Oh, fuck, Shika…yes…”

Shikamaru tightened his lips and let his tongue dance and push against the intrusion in his mouth. His fingers brushed again and again over singing nerve endings, and Neji shuddered.

“Oh god…yes.”

Vibration surrounded Neji’s cock as Shika moaned and slid Neji deeper into his throat, swallowing hard. Neji gasped and the muscles in his legs shook as Shika pulled back to repeat the move, every part of him that touched Neji working with frenetic but calculated purpose. Neji’s eyes opened sightlessly and before he even had a chance to issue warning or say anything at all, orgasm took him, heavy and hard. His breath gushed out of his lungs in harsh, moaning pants, and his eyes squeezed shut while Shikamaru swallowed and drained him, fingers still moving inside his body.

“Fucking…hell…oh…baby…oh god…” Neji didn’t even realize he was speaking until he had to swallow, his throat dry. The mumbled praise and words were mere whispers but they sounded loud to his ears. He shut his mouth and swallowed again, finally coming down.

Shika pulled his mouth away from Neji and rested his forehead on Neji’s thigh, the skin damp. It took Neji a minute to register that the vibration he felt was Shika trembling. Slowly he propped himself up on his elbows, blinking at the sensation of Shika’s fingers still inside of him.

“Shika?” Neji said softly, one hand smoothing the Nara’s hair. Shikamaru whimpered in reply.

“Come here,” Neji said, gently tugging on Shika’s shoulder. Neji felt the fingers slowly slide out of him and Shika obeyed, resting his weight on top of Neji.

“So good, Shika…” Neji whispered as one of his hands slid down to find Shikamaru rock hard, his pants spotted and wet. Neji sighed a happy little noise and stroked Shika lightly, earning him a tremble. He tugged at the pants and something fell out of one pocket. Neji picked it up and saw what it was: a single-shot of lube. The cap twisted off and the tube’s end could be inserted for quick preparation.

Neji looked at the little tube and blinked slowly, desire whipping through him. Neji’s lips slowly pulled back in a smile. He knew Shika’s limits…but he never said anything about the reverse.

And right now…that sounded…perfect.

Head turning and nuzzling Shika’s face, Neji’s lips found Shika’s and he kissed him deeply, tongue stealing inside his mouth. Shika kissed back eagerly, making the little noises that drove Neji insane. Shik’a body was nearly limp on top of his, content to let Neji do with him as he wished.

Neji twisted the cap off the tube with one hand and then pushed it into Shika’s palm. He broke away from the kiss to look at Shika, whose eyes were startled and anxious.

Shaking his head a little, Neji twisted his body, raised one leg to wrap around Shika, and pulled Shika’s wrist so that his hand and the tube were closer to where they needed to be.

“Not for you, pet…for me…” Neji whispered and kissed Shika again. The Nara shivered hard but let Neji guide his hand down. Shikamaru’s fingertips caressed Neji’s skin and Neji released Shika’s hand to wrap his arm around the Nara. Shika’s fingers fumbled and searched for a couple of seconds before he managed to ease the pointed tube inside of Neji’s body. Shika pulled away from Neji’s mouth.

“S-sir?” Shikamaru stammered, eyes hazy with lust but also uncertain.

Neji hummed and pressed his lips along Shika’s jaw. “You’re going to fuck me, Shikamaru,” Neji said, voice low and controlled.

Shika moaned wordlessly, his head falling forward.

“Now do as you’re told…” Neji whispered, hand sliding down Shika’s arm and nudging at Shika’s wrist.

Shikamaru sucked in a shaky breath. “This feels a little strange…” he whispered and then squeezed the tube.

Neji kissed the side of Shika’s mouth and his cheek. He felt a very mild pressure and something cool. Nothing more.

Shika removed the empty tube and tossed it aside. He looked back at Neji and his throat worked as he swallowed.

“I’ve never…” Shika began.

“I know,” Neji said, kissing a cheek.

“How…”

“Let me.”

Neji rolled them over, kissing Shika again. He felt calm…languid…lazy. Neji ran his hands over Shika’s body, fingers occasionally pinching or nails lightly tracing patterns. Beneath him Shika gasped.

“Please…sir…” Shikamaru begged quietly, eyes pleading.

Smiling, Neji sat up and straddled the Nara’s thighs. Neji’s eyes locked onto Shikamaru’s as he reached under him and slid his hand up and down Shika’s cock. The Nara let out a stuttering gasp as Neji guided the thick length to his entrance. He breathed deeply in through his nose and watched Shika’s chest rise and fall rapidly. Slowly Neji sank down, the flared head of Shika’s cock entering him and stretching him wide.

“Oh god…” Shika gasped and his hands fluttered to Neji’s smooth thighs. He didn’t move and barely breathed as Neji’s eyes narrowed to half mast and he slid down, impaling himself at a steady pace. He felt the sting and burn, but it was nothing but minor inconvenience…watching Shika’s eyes glaze over with pleasure was worth much more than that.

When he rested on Shika’s thighs, Neji paused and breathed in deeply again. He adjusted to feeling so full and so stretched with ease…the sensation making him shiver and his skin broke out in fever and goose bumps. He flexed his legs and rose up and slid back down once…twice. Pleasure licked through him like an old friend…it had been so long since he’d done this. Neji let his head fall back and abandoned himself to just moving…to just feeling the swell, drag, and push as he rose and fell. He vaguely heard himself moaning and whispering Shika’s name…knew that he made more noises…but just didn’t care and couldn’t be bothered. It felt too damn good.

After endless moments, Shika let out a strangled cry beneath him. “Stop,” he gasped and sat up, arms sliding around Neji’s waist and head resting on his chest. Neji wrapped his arms around Shika to hold him steady, breath fast and brain on mute.

“It’s too…I can’t…holy shit…” Shika’s voice was muffled by Neji’s skin. “You’re so beautiful…”

Chuckling, Neji ran his fingers through Shika’s damp hair. For a moment they rested like that, Neji lazily blinking and playing with Shika’s hair and skin. Finally he felt Shikamaru’s hands glide up to the back of the shrug and fumble with the tiny buttons that held it on.

“Just rip,” Neji said with a raise of elegant shoulder, but Shika shook his head. He undid each of the little pearl buttons and then pulled the lace away from Neji’s shoulders before tugging the sleeves off his arms. Shika tilted his head up and pulled Neji down so that he could kiss and worry the skin of Neji’s throat, lips suckling and teeth nipping.

Neji shuddered, rolled his hips, and made Shika gasp, breath hot on his skin.

“Fuck,” Shika hissed, startled.

Neji did it again.

Shika grunted and wrapped his arms around Neji who kept moving, working Shika into a state of breathless bliss. Neji’s own cock stirred sleepily, but he ignored it. This wasn’t really about him…and the lazy, relaxed feeling was heavenly enough for Neji.

Shikamaru, however, had other ideas…and when Neji’s pace quickened, Shika slid his hand down to wrap tight fingers along Neji’s length.

“Shika – oh.” Neji let a startled shout when Shika pushed up to meet Neji and struck his sweet spot dead on. Shikamaru made an animalistic and satisfied noise and did it again, faster and harder. He squeezed Neji’s cock almost savagely, and Neji called out a loud syllable of shock and pleasure.

“Oh yeah…” Shika rasped. “That’s better…sir.” Shikamaru growled the last word through clenched teeth as he thrust into Neji: fast, hard, steady. Neji fell backward and caught himself on the bed with locked arms as Shika bent his knees for leverage and dug fingers into the skin at Neji’s hips. Shikamaru pressed his back into the bed, and Neji felt Shika go deeper, making him grunt and gasp in unexpected need.

The feeling of Shika’s hand on him, so rough and nearly cruel, was heady, and Neji saw flashes of color behind his closed lids. He moved with Shika faster and surer, each thrust up hitting that spot that made him want both to growl and beg for mercy. His cock got hard under Shika’s rough touch, and he felt himself leak over Shika’s fingers. Neji moaned loudly through pressed lips and Shika answered with a grunt.

“So tight…so perfect…sir…please…”

Neji panted. “More,” he answered, breathless and choking on a sob of pleasure. “Make me…come…”

With a greedy whimper, Shika dug in with nails on Neji’s hip and lightly traced nails on his cock at the same time. Neji cried out, shameless and unrestrained.

Shika rolled his hips hard, the thrust deep and harsh. This time they both cried out, and Neji trembled in prelude to release.

“So close…” Neji managed.

Shikamaru answered with a groan of his own, and more hard thrusts, hand tightening and twisting on Neji’s cock. “Master…please…” he begged, voice harsh.

Oh god…oh god…Neji didn’t know if he spoke or not, but he saw white and felt himself clench as pleasure peaked. Neji choked on a scream as he came again, body tensing and shaking, vision blurry and blind. The pleasure felt like it would take the top of his head off, and still Shika didn’t stop stroking, didn’t stop moving.

“Shika – fucking GOD…” Neji’s voice echoed through the cabin as his body sung with sweet over-stimulation.

Shikamaru’s breathing cut off abruptly and he sat up sharply, one hand keeping Neji still and the other finally falling away from Neji’s tortured cock. After a long few seconds he gasped against Neji’s chest only to hold his breath again, trembling.

Finally Shika’s shoulders relaxed and he softly moaned as Neji managed to sit up and wrap loose arms around him. There was nothing in his world but the feel of his Shikamaru against him and softening inside, the sound of their ragged breathing in his ears, the smell of sex and sweat…

Shika shuddered and pulled Neji closer, nuzzling into his chest with a sigh. Neji ran his hands over Shikamaru’s back, touch gentle.

After an eternity of being lost in the after glow, Shika looked up at Neji to capture his mouth in a kiss. He braced himself on the bed, one arm supporting Neji’s lower back, and Shika rolled them over. Neji winced at the movement.

“Are you okay?” Shika asked.

Neji nodded, eyes half closed. “Just been a while,” he said, and licked his lips.

Shika swallowed and then slowly and carefully withdrew. Neji just blinked and then rolled to his side, body blissfully lazy. He felt lips brush over his temple and then Shika climbed out of bed. Neji didn’t realize he dozed off until a hot cloth wiped over his eyes, waking him.

“The liner,” Shika explained softly. Neji smiled and thought it a little ironic and a lot sweet that his Shika was taking care of him like this. Some part of him rebelled at the thought, but he shut it up.

The warm cloth wiped his face and over his skin. Neji lost track of what Shika was doing, though he did notice when Shika carefully cleaned off his stomach and between his legs. Neji let Shika move him as he needed, too sated to care.

Another moment was lost to dreamless dozing, and Neji felt gentle hands on his scalp. He murmured wordlessly and turned so that Shika could have better access. He felt his hair being pulled back, fingertips massaging the scalp lightly, and then Shika began to braid his hair.

“Don’t have to do that,” Neji muttered with a sigh.

“I want to,” Shika replied simply.

Neji let it go. After another period of time – long, short, Neji didn’t know – the light went out he felt the bed move and Shika settled down next to him, his back to Neji. Smiling Neji reached out and pulled Shika to him, his mouth biting down lightly on Shika’s shoulder.

Shikamaru laughed a little and got the covers over them both. Neji couldn’t remember feeling more relaxed, and unconsciousness casually teased the edges of his mind in a friendly sort of way. He breathed in Shika’s scent and hugged the Nara closer, possessive and tender.

“Love you,” Neji muttered without thinking. It didn’t register that there was any problem with those words, and he felt Shika’s fingers lace between his own as Neji opened the door to unconsciousness and invited him in to stay a while.

~*~

A/N:
It's all about gettin' what you need, folks. XD

Now, because there's been a couple of time line questions come up for those who read the Naru/Sasu fics, here's your order of operations:

Altering Affection actually comes first - it's on Y!Gal.
Undercurrents is the second fic in this world.
Breaking Point happens AFTER we run into Naru/Sasuke at the Palace in Undercurrents and BEFORE Neji and the gang put the hurt on Kabuto. If I remember correctly, Sasuke actually says to Naruto, "It's not like we need to make a public appearance so soon after the Environmental Gala" as they're riding in the limo to the Magnolia.

(The comment about "Owning my ass not my mind" that Sasuke says to Neji in Bliss might be seen as direct retaliation to his recent experience with Naruto taking back control. Sasuke is a stubborn, delicious ass, after all. Not to mention, he likes only Naruto knowing his "true" self, as it were, and Neji and Sasuke? NOT the best of friends.)

Rhythm & Bruise is next in the series. Breaking the Rules actually happens between about chapters 8 and 9 of that story, and it would be clear where that happens and WHAT happens, but um...haven't posted those parts, yet. *laughs*

And there you go. Hope that helps fit the pieces together. *wink*

Much love, thank you for reading, hope you enjoy the Neji-in-hot-outfit-semi-bottoming-to-Shika-while-he-says-THANKYOUSIR! chapter.